More than two weeks after he was kidnapped on Friday, March 15, 2024, the abductors of the Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, have reportedly contacted his family members.
This was disclosed to journalists in Benin on Sunday by one of Aziegbemi’s family members who pleaded anonymity.
The family source said that the kidnappers made their first contact with the victim’s family on Friday.
He added that the kidnappers asked for a ransom of half a billion naira (N500 million) as ransom to free Aziegbemi.
This was just as the source declined to disclose what the family members were doing to raise the demanded ransom, just as he kept mute on the reactions of Aziegbemi’s party, what the PDP might be doing to assist them.
When contacted, the State Police Command spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the police were not aware of the ransom demand.
“I am not aware of any ransom demand. I can only confirm What I am aware of,” the Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said.
Aziegbemi, it would be recalled, was abducted by some gunmen at about 11 pm on Friday, 16 March, a few meters to his GRA residence in Benin City.
The Edo PDP Chairman was returning from a political meeting held at the State Government House, when his abductors, said to be driving two Toyota Corolla cars, overtook his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), at a speed break, and whisked him away.